There’s one thing that teachers would like more of and that’s time. So much has to be squeezed into the day … teaching, marking of books, preparing lessons, coaching extramurals, attending meetings and much more. If you’re in senior management, your tasks might be a little different.
Yet you’re also on the go from dawn to dusk as well as long into the night.
Having to do too much under pressure is a huge stress factor. Teachers often work to tight deadlines. Then there are the surprises. At very short notice, there’s a meeting or the education department wants documentation done urgently.
But however stressed you may be, you’re expected to remain calm, caring and compassionate. To be an effective and happy teacher requires excellent time-management skills.
Here are 10 time-saving tips:
Use your diary
A school year is action packed. It’s impossible to remember all the dates of events, functions and meetings. Put the dates in your diary and block off the needed time. Open your diary at the start of the day to see what’s happening.
Set goals and prioritise
Give yourself daily goals. Number goals as first, second, third and so on, according to their level of importance. Do the tasks as per your list. At the end of the day, you’ll have a sense of satisfaction about what was done. Those items not ticked off go on to tomorrow’s list.
Process paperwork
Neil Finger wrote about the DRAFT process to be used in processing paper that lands on your desk: delegation pile (other staff members are better able to deal with its contents), reading pile (when you’ve got the time, you’ll read the circular, document or article), action pile (you’ll need to take action or reply to the contents of the paper), filing pile (these papers need to be filed for future reference), and toss pile (toss the junk mail and other time wasters in the bin).
Minimise paperwork
Lengthy documents and policies don’t mean that they’re well written. Much skill is needed to write concisely, to the point and simply. People are also more likely to read and understand what you’ve written.
Be a team player
Work in a team within a grade, phase or subject area. Challenges and problems are easier to handle and less stressful when shared. A team can take different forms such as a committee, project group or task force. Be careful about the number of people in a team. Why, for example, should the entire staff have to be involved in the design change to a school tracksuit? Let a committee or task team do the research. It can then make recommendations to the whole staff. Respect a person’s time; use it sparingly.
Make meetings meaningful
A well-structured meeting is a winner. A poorly structured one is usually a waste of everyone’s time. Have an agenda as to what is to be discussed. Start meetings punctually. Don’t wait for the stragglers. End meetings promptly at the agreed time. An awareness of the actual time during the meeting helps to keep people focused. Such meetings usually achieve much more and everyone feels that their time has been well spent.
Delegate
There’s a little quip about someone who could never delegate work: “Unfortunately, he never delegates — he does the work of two clowns: Tickey and Sixpence!” Give others the chance to use their skills and grow professionally.
Learn to say no
Often the willing horse is saddled with too much work. When the demands made of you are too heavy, thank people for their trust in your abilities. However, decline politely.
Stop interruptions
There are folk who knock on your door and want “only two minutes of your time”. Stand up to speak to them. Tell them tactfully that you’re busy. Give them the two minutes. When they leave, close the door. You’re busy and want to work uninterrupted.
Use modern technology
Telecommunication devices such as cellphones, emails, faxes and laptops are huge time savers. For example, surfing the internet gets teaching material on any topic almost instantly.
There simply isn’t enough time to do everything. Accept that fact. Remind yourself that you also need a life beyond the school gates. Take time for yourself because — as the advertisement states — “You’re worth it!” It’s very healthy time management and helps makes you an even better quality teacher.
Richard Hayward is a former principal who edits Quality Education News under the South African Quality Institute (SAQI). It gives leadership and management courses at schools. Please contact Vanessa du Toit on 012 349 5006 ([email protected]) or Richard Hayward on 011 888 3262 ([email protected])